Water heating system



Dec. 21,'1937. D. 1.. BUCHANAN WATER HEATING SYSTEM Filed May 1, 1936 H 0T WATER WATER RESERVOIR,

EVAPORATOR.

COIMPRESISOIL.

POWEQ PLANT HEAT EXCHANGER- MAIN STEAM.

INVENTOR. DAVID L. BUCHANAN- ATTORNEY.

Patentedpec. 21, 1937' v I v I UNITED STATES "PATENT- OFFICE,

WATER HEATING SYSTEM David L. Buchanan, White Marsh, Pa., assignor to Edward G.Budd Manufacturing Company, Phlilliadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylva a Application May 1, 1936, Serial No. 37,304

' 6 Claims. (Cl. 237-12. 1)

This invention relates to improvements in Further objects and advantages of my invenwater heating systems for rail cars, more partlcur tion will appear from the following description larly of the electrically operated type as for exthereof taken in connection with the attached ample those having a self contained power plant drawing, which is illustrative of a preferred form including an internal combustion engine and elecof embodiment of the invention, such drawing tric generator. being a diagrammatic arrangement of. the water The development of non-steam powered rail heating plant.

cars and trains, especially of the self contained The non-steam type of train having air condiinternal combustion engine type, has eliminated tioning equipment commonly has a limited source the customary source of .heat for the water reof electrical e ergy as f Om t e pow Plant en- 10 quired for bath and lavatory use, and although erally indicated at l0. Whether it be of the inheat exchange units, arranged in connection with telhal combustion engine yp having a Suitable the main car heating plant, cansupply the necesn r r r oth r s rce f el ric l pow r,

'Sary heat in cold weathergapd hot water ca b additional capacity is normally available to take other equiiiment.

obtained fr mth ir conditioning equipment in care of the various auxiliaries, including the moweather when it is in use asset forth in a coi Which Operate t air Conditioning q ppendln application f May r, s ri 73 999, ment in the/ respective cars. With normal refiled April 13, 19.36 on Water heating system, there frigerating C p y of ve 01' S x to s per day are many periods of'the year during hich d motors of ten horse power are frequently used.

quate heat must beprovided, and ordinarily at a The air ti n q pm nt in addition to great sacrifice of fuel and costly operation of the compressor includes the Condenser 5.1"

frigerant receiver l8, thermostatically controlled The principal object of my invention is to proexpansion valve 20, and evaporator 22, in which vide means for heating f water for bathing pm. the car air is conveniently cooled. The refrigerposes nomsteam powered h r cars during t ant then returns-to the compressor Hi as is well temperate Weather during which the normal krmwn. This refrigerant cycle is also convenientconditioning equipment is not operated, such" Pr h a heat exchanger 24 by which heating being available as a' by-produc't of t the water is heated during hot weather when the. normal power source and thus not involving addjair conditioning systemis in operation. v tional equipment or operating expense, l The Water for bathing Purposes y be,. C0 A further object of the invention is to provide veniently heated in cold weather by a e e a combined hot water heating system for bath change! 25 in the main Steam Supply, which in a and lavatory purposes f an air conditioned rail non-steam operated train is commohly derived car which includes aheatiexchange devicein the from an independent e 23 as 0f h Oil air conditioning refrigerant circuit using the'se'nburning type- The Water k" containing the sible heat of the refrigerant when the air condiadequat" Water lavatory and bathing m ses honing equipment is m use, and an electric is normally connected in heat exchange relation merslon heater interlocked with the same power with this main steam line through the e bex: source as the air conditioning equipment f r changer 26, and thence through heat. exchanger n when the air conditioning equipment is not 24, which are adequate to maintain the water hot in Operation I in either hot or cold weather. If desired, a cir- 0 A still further object of the invention is to pro- *culating arrangement with e p t to the heat vide a water heating system for non-steam operexchangers and Water reservoir 34 may be p ated air conditioned rail cars which includes invided by suitably arranged P 8: r

terlocklng relays controlled by a suitable ther- During mild spring and fall e hOW- mostat for energizing animmersion heater when every which in many Parts Of the n ry is a the water is below a predetermined temperature substantial length m neither the main and the air conditioning compressor m t is heating source nor the air conditioning and ccol-' energized, and for de qhergizing t hnmersioh ing equipment is in operation, and at such time heater either at the predetermined water temthe Water demand Very a I have 5' Pemture or h t air ifl m equipment therefore in addition provided an immersion 0 is operating so that the water will be maintained heater 32 of ie type ch s adequate to i at the desirable high temperature and ith t. heat the water" reserve in reservoir 34, and sumadditional power drain from the available rail car e take a e f" the demands which will operating source. normally b made on each car. The immersion within the scope and spirit of the description tricaliy deenergized. l

heater is of any suitable type of resistance unit of adequate capacity, and I find that the necessary power demand of such a heater is substantially less than that required by the motor I! for the air conditioning equipment. No additional load on the main power supply whether it be the power plant It or power taken irom a third rail or overhead line would occur, provided they are not operative simultaneously.

I prefer to provide a pair of relays 8t and 36 connected by a suitable interlock 3? so that the electrical immersion heater cannot be used at any time the air conditioning equipment is'being operated. In other words, if the motor l2 should start up for air conditioning purposes, adequate heat would be obtained from the heat exchanger 24, but if the motor, it is stopped and the water in reservoir 8d cools off, a thermostat 38 will operate relay to energize the immersion heater 32. The immersion heater will only operate when the water temperature drops below a certain predetermined point and the relay 8,6 is man operative position as controlled by interlock 3'? .irorn relay fit. The'necessary electrical controls, being well understood: in the art, are not shown either of the interlock or for the operation of the motor it of the compressor, which-may suitably be under automatic control to meet the conditions of air cooling required in the car.

It will thus be seen that no operation of the immersion heater can become an extra load on the power source or cause unnecessary expense or require any substantial increase in equipment. Adequate hot water will always be available, especially for bath and lavatory'facilities. No additional weight is involved, as water reservoirs on the cars can be readily adapted for hot water storage.

While I have shown a preferred form of embodiment of my invention, I am aware that other modifications may be made, and I therefore desire a broad interpretation e oi my invention herein and of the claims appended hereinafter.

What I claim is:

1. A domestic hot water heating system for a rail car having an electrically energized air conditioning equipment which comprises a heat exchange device in heat exchange 'relationwith heated parts of the air conditioning. equipment, means to pass water through said heat exchange device'i'or heat transfer, an' electrically energized immersion heater in heat exchange relation with the water supply, and electrical interlocl: means between the electrically energized immersion heater and the electrically operated air condition ing equipment,- operated by the electrically ene'rgiaed air conditioning equipment limiting the operation oi said immersion heater to periods when said air conditioning'equipment is elec- .2. A domestic water heating system for a nonsteam operated rail car having a source oi! electrical power, an air conditioning system having a compressor operated from said electrical power source, a heat exchange devicein said air con-: ditloning system for water heating, an electrical immersion water heater, an electrical interlock between said electrically operated compressor and said electrical immersion water heater, said "interlock restricting the operation of said immersion heater to periods in betweenthe periods oi t'rically operated water heating ditioning system compressor to prevent .overloading of the electrical power source.

3. A water heating system for supplying hot water for lavatory and bathing purposes in a rail car having asource of electrical power, a water reservoir, :2. car heating mechanism and an electrically operated air conditioning mechanism in circuit with the electric power source, a heat exchange device in heat exchange relation with said car heating mechanism, a heat exchange device in heat exchange relation with said air conditioning mechanism, means to pass water through said heat exchange devices to a hot water reservoir, and an electrically operated immersion heater in said hot water reservoir and in circuit with said electric power source," said immersion heater circuit being interconnected with said air conditioning mechanism circuit whereby said immersion heater can only be energized from the electrical power source when the air conditioning system is inoperative, said heat exchange devices working alternatively, and said immersion heater complementing said heat exchange devices.

4. In a hot water heating system for a rail car having an air conditioning system including an electrically operated compressor anda hot water heating device in .heat exchange relation with said system, the combination of an electrically operated water heating device and means to interlock said electrically operated mechanisms so that the electrically operated water heating device may be energized only when the electrically operated compressor is de-energized, said compressor being energized in accordance with the demands of the air conditioning system, and means to control the operation of the electrically operated water heating device in accordance with the water temperature.

5. In combination witha rail car having a car heating source and an air conditioning mech; anism including an electrically operated refrigerant circuit and a water supply, heat exchange devices in heat exchange relation with the body heating source and with the refrigerant circuit to heat said water supply, and an electricallyoperated water heating device to heat said water supply, and means to energize said elec-' device when the other heat exchange devices are ineflective, said means including a thermostat controlling said electrically operated water heating device and normal intermittent operation of said air coninterlocking means between said electrically operated water heating device and said electrically operated refrigerant circuit whereby the operation of the refrigerant circuit will prevent operation oithe electrically operated water heating device.

. DAVID L. BUCHANAN 

